Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  clean - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Brooksi - November 27 - 10:00 am

  I love it I only had 1 problem and that was the front end but they fixed it and now it is fine

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  First Impressions - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Paul B. - November 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this beautiful vehicle for one week. On the first day the Ride control failed. My appointment for repair is 8 days later. Cant say Im impressed with service. It is not a good impression to have a defect after one day of ownership. That said. The car has everything. Really love the features. I would not purchase another car without onstar and XM radio. I hope this vehicle is as reliable as people say.

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  Must read before you buy - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By IMMENSUS - November 27 - 10:00 am

  If you are planning to by a Tahoe or GMC, must have Z71 pack. It is costly (over 5K), but value is unbeatable - basicaly Z71 gets you all. From XM radio and on-board computer to towing package and awsome trim. Sticker runs at about 44-45K, but dealers usually will take 5-6k below, which brings it to under 38K

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  Silverado 2500HD LT - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By jyuhas - November 27 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle new in August and now have 6500 miles on it. It has been back into the dealership 5 times for repairs to the Power Mirrors and Windows. The Power Door locks also had to be replaced. The 6.0 Liter V8 motor on this vehicle is very quiet but seems very sluggish though this may be due to the transmission gearing. There is some wind noise when driving down the road at highway speeds. This vehicle has Anti-lock brakes but on one occassion during a panic stop they locked down.

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  Trim / Molding Windows and Differential - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Roy - November 26 - 10:42 pm

  I guess I can start by saying this car is my mid-life crisis car, anyway the car performs everytime time I put my foot into. It fires like a bullet, no complaints for power, but there are some other problems so beware. My vehicle has had molding on the driver & passengers side replace twice for peeling. Front windshield crack and replaced due to body stress as descibe in my documentation. Rear differential went out grining noise when backing up or going around curves. Dealer wants to add rear differential TSB-additive waste of time. My passenger door has a continous rattle in the center of the panel with very little volume on speakers. GM fix is adding foam to interior of door, doesnt work.

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  TrailBlazer Fan - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TrailblazerFan - November 26 - 9:53 am

  Drive the rest. The TrailBlazer is comfortable, powerful, roomy, handles fairly well, tows a lot, has all the gadgets. This is my second and I wasnt prepared to spend $5-10 grand more for a car with slightly better handling. These cars are bulletproof and in 06-08 all the kinks have been worked out of this proven truckster. Rides smooth. Drive one and see for yourself. 100K trans and for around a grand get a 100K bumper-bumper and you are good to go. Buy American, save a family!

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  2009 Chevy Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kim - November 26 - 1:10 am

  Aside from a few minor complaints about the interior finishings (they seem a little cheap) this is an awesome little car! Its fun to drive and delivers more than enough horsepower. Its also very quiet and comfortable. Add to that affordable and good mileage. I highly recommend this car.

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  Reliability 07 Vette - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 07Reliability - November 26 - 12:37 am

  Reliability is not there. Electrical system drains battery so car will not start if car is left parked for more than 10 days. So many things on this car are attached to the battery--it does nothing but kill battery. Try taking this car to the airport and come back 2 weeks later and see what happens. When youre not driving for even short periods in must be plugged in to a charger. Dealer says all is working properly-- even the car manual says battery will not last more than 25 days?

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  Worst Vehicle I ever bought - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By herrmajj - November 25 - 3:04 pm

  Transmission, 3 seperate wiring issues, steering column, new cluster, seat adjustments went crazy and would try to smash you into the dash and now upcoming differential work. That is not to mention how uncomfortable the seats are for a long drive. The kids cannot put the seats all the way back in the second row because the armrest hits the side of the interior. Very disappointed. List price as equipped 54K and thought I got a deal at 31K. Guess I was wrong. Going to see if I can get in a Sequoia.

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  Review of 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ROME, GEORGIA FAMILY - November 25 - 12:30 pm

  The rear end makes a lot of noise. Make sure you dont get one that does. I have drove two that make niose so it is very popular problem. Test drive for a least two days to make sure you dont have lemon.